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Monday, December 22, 2008

Is Eric Mangini the Jets' Willie Randolph?

Willie Randolph was supposed to bring the winning tradition of the Yankees and Joe Torre's multiple rings to the Mets.

Randolph had some success with the Mets, leading his team to the playoffs in the 2006 season.

The following year, Randolph's team should have made the playoffs, but the team choked down the stretch.

Eric Mangini was supposed to bring the winning tradition of the Patriots and Bill Belichick's multiple rings to the Jets.

Mangini has had some success with the Jets, leading his team to the playoffs in the 2006 season.

Two years later, Mangini's team should have made the playoffs, but the team choked down the stretch.

There are other similarities. In both cases, ownership spent to give the team's leader the pieces he needed to win. The Jets have seven Pro Bowlers this year.

And in both cases, the team's leader was increasingly criticized for his strategic decisions. Actually, this comparison is not fair to Randolph - he never had a big game with as many strategic blunders as Mangini did Sunday.

Randolph was fired on a trip to the West Coast. Mangini has now had four disastrous trips out West. Whether it's in the middle of the night or the light of day, it's time for Mangini to go.

7 comments:

Jon: Your analogy, while interesting, is a little flawed. It was Bill Belichick who was supposed to bring the winning tradition of the Giants to the Jets, but instead skipped out to the Patriots. And, remember, at the time, Jets-Patriots was only a second-rate or even third-rate rivalry, much as Mets-Phillies was until recently. When the Yankees had to replace Joe Torre, they didn't go after someone who built up the championship team in New England, they went for one of their own.

As for whether Mangini should go, that'll be decided this Sunday at the Meadowlands. If he can coach the J-E-T-S-Jets-Jets-Jets to victory over the resurgent Dolphins, then he wins the Division and makes the Playoffs with a team that's got some talent but is hardly great, and deserves to continue as coach. If not, especially since the Dolphins generally don't do well in cold weather AND their quarterback is one Chad Pennington, the man dumped to make way for Brett Favre, then it's time to blow it all up and start over -- and that means America's Mancrush also has to go. (I've also seen the word "bro-mance" used to describe sportswriters' obsession with Favre.)

Right now, I think it just may be an all-Manning Super Bowl, but if so, I think Peyton is going to settle things by leading the Colts past Eli and the Giants.

Yes I think Mangenius should go. I understand that "the other team gets paid to play also", but somehow this coach with a first ballot HOF quarterback, the AFC's leading running back and one of the most electric punt/kickoff returners and (a strong running back to boot) could not find a way to win against the Raiders, the Niners and the Seahawks. I'm not saying they should be 13-2 going into the last game of the season, but a GOOD (not great) would have found a way to win at those games. Mangini didn't. Maybe he'll get it right the next time with his next team just not hear with the Jets. PS I don't think Cowher is necessiarly the answer but he does have the experience and is well respected in the league and comes from a solid football background.

enough with the jet talk, mangini is a belichik without his talent, or personality, and randolph is a joke.

more importantly, news of the yankees buying texiera for @170 million! congrats yankee fans, that is great news! $415 million for 3 players! hurrah! with that money spent, why play the season? why not just give them the trophy, they've already paid for it. it is sad and ridiculous. this is why baseball should follow other sports and have a salary cap. it is much more entertaining watching a sport where a team can't just buy all the best players.

Yankee fans should keep their mouths shut this year until the postseason. that is the only thing that matters. unfortunately, we will have to listen to the entitled baloney all year about how great their team is.

who's next? Manny? Lowe? Hudson for 2nd base? why not look into Fuentes as well, he can set up for Mo, no? what the hell, it is only money.

But, instead, to answer all the taunting and harassment from you non-Yankee fans for so long now, the Yankees have opted to play the season each day just to make sure we slowly and methodically rub the salt nice and deep into the gashing, gaping wounds our (evil) empire has inflicted upon the rest of baseball.

sportsmanship? you guys wouldn't know sportsmanship if it bit you on the rear end. don't kid yourself, this is buying a championship. the yankees currently have the 4 highest contracts in all of baseball.